Kahawa West building incident: Johnson Sakaja says no major casualties!All the masons who were working on the eight-storey residential building that collapsed in Kahawa West, Nairobi, have been accounted for, according to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The workers were hired by the building’s owner to repair cracked pillars and walls and were working on the ground floor when the structure gave way.
Kahawa West building incident
Fortunately, there were no fatalities among the workers, and all the tenants had already been evacuated before the collapse, averting what could have been a much larger tragedy.
Governor Sakaja also confirmed that a woman and her child, who were initially reported missing, have been found safe. This brought relief to the local community, which had feared the worst after the dramatic collapse of the building.
The woman and her child were reportedly residents of the building, and their safety was confirmed after a search operation was conducted by rescue teams.
The building had housed over 60 tenants before its evacuation. Their quick departure came in response to visible signs of structural failure that had alarmed both residents and local authorities.
The tenants’ evacuation followed warnings from the Nairobi City County’s Planning Enforcement team, who had condemned the building due to its weakened structure. This early intervention likely saved lives, as the building’s collapse could have resulted in a catastrophic loss of life.
Governor Sakaja explained that the building had been deemed unsafe, and most residents were moved out as a precaution. “We took steps to ensure the safety of everyone. The tenants had been evacuated, and our priority is to confirm that no one was inside when the building collapsed,” Sakaja said.
Nearby, another building that was showing similar signs of structural weakness was also evacuated as a precaution to prevent a repeat incident. This proactive approach has been praised by local residents and authorities alike, as it emphasizes the importance of taking preventive measures to avoid potential disasters in high-risk areas.
Nairobi County Deputy Governor Njoroge Muchiri arrived at the scene to oversee the ongoing search and rescue operation.
Multi-agency teams, including police officers, military personnel, and emergency services, were deployed to clear the rubble and ensure that no one was trapped inside the collapsed structure. These coordinated efforts were instrumental in ensuring the safety of the local community.
According to Governor Sakaja, the risk of casualties was minimal because the building had been cleared prior to the collapse. “Our teams are continuing to search the debris to confirm that no one was left behind,” Sakaja stated, expressing confidence that the swift evacuation of tenants had prevented any significant loss of life.
However, there was one reported casualty—a middle-aged woman who was injured by falling debris as the building collapsed. The woman was outside the building when it came down and was struck by fragments from the structure. She was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, and her condition is said to be stable.
This incident highlights the quick response and vigilance of both the local community and the authorities. Local residents, having detected the instability of the building, were instrumental in organizing the evacuation and capturing videos of the structure moments before it came down.
These videos, widely circulated on social media, show residents warning others to clear the area, followed by the building’s dramatic collapse amid screams and shouts from those watching nearby.
Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei acknowledged the crucial role that the local community played in preventing a larger disaster.
“The residents knew the building was weak and acted quickly to evacuate. We are grateful that the evacuation happened before the collapse,” Bungei said. He added that search operations were still ongoing to ensure that no one was trapped inside the rubble.
While the cause of the collapse is still under investigation, authorities are focusing on ensuring public safety and preventing similar incidents in the future. The incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations and the need for more frequent inspections of structures to prevent tragedies like this from occurring.
The quick evacuation and the organized response efforts by the authorities and residents likely saved many lives, turning a potential catastrophe into a situation with minimal casualties.
